ESPN, NFL Agree on ‘Monday Night Football’ Deal Through 2021

“Monday Night Football” will stay on ESPN through 2021, according to a new deal the cable network has struck with the NFL.

The $1.9-billion-a-year deal is reportedly 73 percent more than ESPN previously paid for rights to the weekly broadcast. ESPN will also get rights to more than 500 hours of NFL-branded studio programing.

Since moving to ESPN in 2006, ‘MNF’ has become one of the network’s most valuable franchises. It was the highest-rated Monday program on cable and broadcast among young men.

This deal only confirms that football is easily the biggest draw of all the major sports on TV. Bidding on a package to air NFL games on Thursday nights is set to begin next month.